Richard A. Byrd, age 74, of Flowery Branch, Ga., and a native of Butler County, passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2011, at Northeast Georgia Medical Center following an extended illness. Funeral services were Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 2 p.m. at Blackshear Place Baptist Church. Interment followed in Memorial Park South Cemetery with the Rev. Dan Bremer and the Rev. Bobby Gastley officiating.

Mr. Byrd was born February 21, 1937 in Georgiana to the late Arlin Alexander Byrd and Kathleen Salter Byrd. A 1955 graduate of GHS, he graduated from Auburn University and had retired from the U.S. Federal Government as a civil engineer.

He was a former member and ordained deacon of North Peachtree Baptist Church in Doraville, Ga., and was a member of Blackshear Place Baptist Church at the time of his passing.

He is survived by his wife, Ann Harrison Byrd; sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Joyce Byrd of Sugar Hill and Bill and Cathy Byrd of Sugar Hill; daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Adam Lee of Lawrenceville; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Kay and Bob Peterson of San Jose, Calif.; five grandchildren, Andrew, Lori, Magon and her husband Eric, Carson and Spencer, and three great-grandchildren, Kyler, Zack and Will.

Flowers will be accepted or donations made to the Reaching Generation Now Youth Program, c/o Blackshear Place Baptist Church, 3428 Atlanta Highway, Flowery Branch, GA 30542. Memorial South Funeral Home and Crematory of Flowery Branch conducted the arrangements.

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